Chapter 21

IRIS POV:

I didn't sleep well.

I lay in the dark staring at the ceiling with the folder sitting on my desk in my mind. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw his name in clean black print and felt that same cold shift in my stomach all over again.

By six in the morning, I gave up on sleep entirely.

I got dressed carefully. More carefully than yesterday. I chose a white fitted blouse and a pencil skirt that sat just below the knee. Professional and covered, like armor.

My wolf was unusually quiet as I stood in front of the mirror.

“You know he's coming,” I said to her.

She didn't respond. She just settled deeper inside me like she was bracing for something.

I went downstairs.

My mother was already in the kitchen again. She looked at me over her mug, and something in her face changed immediately.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” I said. “Just a big day.”

She watched me pour my tea and said nothing more. But when I picked up my bag to leave, she called my name from the kitchen doorway.

“Iris.”

I turned.

“Whatever it is,” she said quietly, “you are still your father's daughter.”

I held her gaze for a moment.

Then I nodded and walked out.

—·—·—·—·—·—·—

Sarah picked me up at the same time as yesterday.

She took one look at my face when I got in and gripped the steering wheel.

“What time exactly was he coming?” she asked.

“Eleven o'clock,” I said.

She was quiet for a moment. Then, “Do you want me to take the appointment? I can tell Vera there was a scheduling conflict and…”

“No,” I said. “I'll handle it.”

“Iris…”

“Sarah.” I looked at her. “I'll handle it.”

She pressed her lips together and drove.

The morning moved slowly.

Every time the glass front doors opened, I looked up. Every footstep that came down the corridor made my shoulders tighten. I answered emails. I updated three client profiles. I did everything Vera had shown me, and I did it well because I refused to let Nicholas Crest take this from me too.

Pemi arrived at half past eight and settled at her desk. She glanced at me once, then at the clock on the wall, then back at her screen without saying anything.

She remembered the folder.

At ten fifty-five, Vera appeared at my desk.

“Your eleven o'clock will be here shortly,” she said. “Use meeting room two. Water is already in there.”

“Yes,” I said.

She started to walk away, then paused.

“Calloway.”

I looked up.

She studied me for exactly two seconds.

“Good posture,” she said. “Remember that.”

Then she was gone.

I picked up my notepad and walked to meeting room two.

—·—·—·—·—·—·—

I heard him before the door opened.

That confidence in every footstep. The way a room always seemed to adjust around Nicholas Crest before he even entered it.

The door opened.

He walked in alone.

Dark suit. That face that had once made my heart do things I was embarrassed to remember now. He looked around the glass-walled room slowly, then his eyes landed on me and stayed there.

He smiled.

“Iris,” he said, like we were old friends catching up over coffee.

“Mr. Crest,” I said. “Please sit down.”

He pulled the chair out slowly and sat, never taking his eyes off me. I kept mine on my notepad.

“You look good,” he said. “This place suits you.”

“I'll be handling your account going forward,” I said. “I have a few standard questions to go through regarding your scheduling preferences and communication…”

“You know why I'm here,” he said.

I kept writing. “If you could tell me your preferred method of contact, whether that's email, direct call, or…”

“Iris.” His voice dropped. “Stop.”